Business Studies Courses Research Articles

From Pseudo to Genuine Sustainability Education: Ecopedagogy and Degrowth in Business Studies Courses

Abstract This article surveys critical scholarship that links the literature on sustainable business education and education for sustainable development goals (ESDG). It is assumed that ESDG is desirable in the business curriculum. However, it is argued here that ESDG erroneously fosters the illusion of successfully combining economic growth, social justice, and environmental protection, foregrounding “sustained and inclusive economic growth”, which is often dependent on the increased consumption of natural resources. ESDG rarely addresses industrial expansion that jeopardizes the opportunity for the resolution of environmental crises, ignoring the intrinsic value of nonhuman species and ecosystems and masking the root causes of unsustainability. ESDG places heavy emphasis on economic and social aspects of sustainability, at the cost of the environment. By contrast, some earlier forms of environmental education recognize the limits to growth and emphasize environmental integrity as a foundation for both social and economic activity. This article emphasizes the need to re-orientate ESDG towards genuine sustainability of ecopedagogy in the context of business education, emphasizing transformative business models based on degrowth, circular economy, and steady-state economy. It is argued that a more explicit pedagogical re-orientation towards the recognition of planetary boundaries, as well as toward a less anthropocentric focus is needed.

Pedagogical Challenges Facing The Teaching Business Studies in Secondary Schools in Bauchi State, Nigeria

The study determines the Pedagogical challenges facing the teaching of business studies in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study comprised 248 business studies teachers from secondary schools in Bauchi State. Since the population size is manageable, the researchers used all populations. The researchers developed a structured questionnaire for data collection. The instrument was validated by two experts from the rank of senior lecturer and above in the department of Test and Measurement of Nasarawa State University, Keffi. Cronbach Alpha method was used to test the reliability of the instrument which yielded a coefficient value of 0.77. Mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions while a t-test was used to test the two null hypotheses formulated for the study at 0.05 level of significance. The finding indicated among others, that some Business studies courses are taught mostly by unqualified teachers. Data analysis revealed that some of the teachers were not familiar with the curriculum and since some of the teachers were not trained, they set internal examinations that only tested the low levels of the cognitive domain that is knowledge and comprehension while the national examinations tested all the levels of the cognitive domain. The study concludes that the Government should employ qualified lecturers in the area of Business Studies in the state, providing appropriate resources, retraining teachers in pedagogical competency needs. Appropriate recommendations were made including retraining of the teachers.

A practical application of statistical process control to evaluate the performance rate of academic programmes: implications and suggestions

PurposeThis study aims to properly and objectively assess the students’ study progress in bachelor programmes by applying statistical process control (SPC). Specifically, the authors focused their analysis on the variation in performance rates in business studies courses taught at a Spanish University.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative methodology was used, using an action-based case study developed in a public university. Previous research and theoretical issues related to quality indicators of the training programmes were discussed, followed by the application of SPC to assess these outputs.FindingsThe evaluation of the performance rate of the courses that comprised the training programs through the SPC revealed significant differences with respect to the evaluations obtained through traditional evaluation procedures. Similarly, the results show differences in the control parameters (central line and control interval), depending on the adopted approach (by programmes, by academic year and by department).Research limitations/implicationsThis study has inherent limitations linked to both the methodology and selection of data sources.Practical implicationsThe SPC approach provides a framework to properly and objectively assess the quality indicators involved in quality assurance processes in higher education.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the discourse on the importance of a robust and effective assessment of quality indicators of the academic curriculum in the higher education context through the application of quality control tools such as SPC.

Impact of Proactive Personality on Affective Commitment: Mediation Effect of Job Satisfaction

Organizations are finding it harder and harder to improve their performance amid fierce competition. Globalization is causing markets to transition from traditional to digital, and as new things are developed, product lifecycles are getting shorter. Organizations don't always grow in the same way. The political, social, and environmental factors make doing business in developing nations very challenging. Business studies courses emphasize the role of staff in overcoming issues like this. Proactive workers look for a company that can adapt to their work and environmental situations. According to this study, individuals' proactive personalities under the effect of perceived organizational support result in affective commitment by job satisfaction. Through a Google form, 221 respondents in managerial positions were randomly selected from manufacturing and service firms. SPSS V.20 was employed for the data analysis. Using the Hayes method, mediation and moderated mediation analysis. The findings indicate a connection between proactive personality and emotional commitment through job satisfaction, and that this connection will become stronger as perceived organizational support increases. Proactive personality with affective commitment are partially mediated. Empirically, all three of the study's hypotheses were confirmed. Managers and practitioners will benefit from this study's decision-making advice.

Re-Examining the Value of UK University Business Studies Courses for Post- Graduation Nepalese Graduates

This research analyses the reflections of post-graduation Nepalese Business Studies undergraduate and postgraduate graduates from UK universities. It follows their return to Nepal, where the graduates were facing a scarcity of employment opportunities. The primary research was undertaken at a time when UK universities were facing increasing competition to recruit international students and numbers of Nepalese students choosing the UK were decreasing. The mixed methods research was based primarily on semi-structured interviews in Nepal with twenty-three Nepalese graduates, their Nepalese employers and Nepalese education consultancies. Data were analysed using the five systems model of Bronfenbrenner (1979) and Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner’s (2012) Intercultural Awareness Profiling. Although the overall expectations of Nepalese students and employers towards UK higher education remained positive, results indicated a lowering estimation of the quality and reputation of UK universities and increasing Nepalese University and regional competition. The outcomes make a further contribution to the knowledge of why Nepalese students choose overseas higher education but why Nepalese employers are struggling to see clear benefits from employing UK educated Nepalese business graduates.

Success in business studies and mathematical background: the case of Norway

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine whether the type of mathematics skills developed at secondary school an effect on students’ later success in business studies. At many business schools in Norway, more students are applying than there are places available. The ranking of applications depends on the grade point average (GPA) level, irrespective of the level or type of mathematics studied at secondary school, where the students are free to choose practically orientated or theoretical mathematics.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative analysis (regression model) was applied using data for undergraduate students enrolled in business studies over a three–year period (2012–2014).FindingsStudents with a non-theoretical background in mathematics obtain systematically lower grades on many courses, especially in core business school subjects. Ranking applicants to business studies courses based on their GPA scores irrespective of their level of mathematics may lead to the admission of less able students.Research limitations/implicationsThere is little information available concerning why students choose different paths in mathematics at upper secondary school, but the decision students make has an influence on their grades in business courses.Originality/valueBy requiring more knowledge of theoretical mathematics, students’ performance at business school will improve. Changing the admission criteria could improve the quality of graduates and reduce the dropout rate.

Teacher-Led Initiatives in Supporting Learner Empowerment among Malay Tertiary Learners

Purpose – Learner empowerment or learner autonomy is regarded by some theorists as the self-propelled, sole effort of the learner. However, in creating self-directed learners who are empowered to learn, the role of significant others such as the instructor is imperative. This study shows how a committed lecturer can play an instrumental role in facilitating self-directed learning among learners. Methodology – Learner autonomy in vocabulary learning was successfully facilitated among a group of Malay tertiary learners pursuing a Business Studies course in Malaysia. This qualitative study explored the lecturer’s proactive efforts and initiatives in raising learners’ confidence in learning vocabulary. Data were collected through reflective in-depth interviews with the lecturer and learners at the end of every week for one month to obtain insights into their learning experiences. Findings – The lecturer’s pedagogical approaches of providing sufficient learning opportunities in class, teaching vocabulary in context, using vocabulary lists and direct methods, and building lessons spirally to reinforce learning made complex tasks become manageable and achievable. These efforts were well-commended by the learners in this study. The lecturer's conscious decisions, namely, encouraging collaborative learning tasks and not forcing reluctant speakers were guided by her awareness of the learners’ cultural background which impinged on their learning preferences, thus, creating a non-threatening learning environment. Significance – This study establishes the case that learner empowerment is not teacherless learning but is fostered when the instructor is able to pitch the lesson at an appropriate level and create a conducive and positive learning environment to synchronise with the learners’ cultural traits.

Managing Teaching Teams Effectively

After years of reduced Government funding, high student-to-staff ratios are a now a reality in many Australian universities, alongside an increasingly casualised workforce and a growing reliance on technology enhanced teaching. At the same time, the Australian Government has set ambitious new targets in the attainment rate for bachelor degrees by 2025, which promises to lead to a further rapid expansion of the sector post 2012. In this context, the assurance of teaching quality in large enrollment courses, which are taught across multiple campuses and in various modes, poses significant challenges for course coordinators. Thus, the requirement to become an effective manager of a teaching team, which often has a high proportion of casual and contract staff, is one example of the changing nature of academic work in an increasingly complex higher education landscape. This case study explores a course coordinator’s approach to the collegial development and management of an effective teaching team in a large enrollment undergraduate Business Studies course. The aim was to improve the student learning experience and outcomes through effective teamwork and by developing a shared understanding amongst the team members of best practice in teaching and assessment.

ICT, Enterprise Education and Intercultural Learning

Little attention has been paid to the role of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in enabling schools to work together in joint enterprise partnerships. This article reports on a school-based enterprise initiative which involved both primary and secondary school teachers working across an international frontier. The main findings of this research show that when ICT was used to link schools, it enabled a wide range of enterprise work to be carried out, particularly in the development of ‘soft’ skills. In primary schools, the ease of linking enterprise to the curricula in two different jurisdictions by teachers in well-established school partnerships led to high use of communication tools and strong collaborative learning. In secondary schools, in spite of timetabling difficulties and lack of prior experience between partners, links were made between a range of business studies courses and ICT helped to make enterprise far more than an academic subject. Overall, the evidence suggests that when students were working closely in teams across a national boundary, they developed a wide range of inter-personal skills that have been identified as important characteristics in enterprise work (Man & Yu, 2007) and for intercultural understanding (Deuchar, 2004).

Face-to-face versus online tutoring support in business studies courses distance education

Research has suggested that distance-learning students may rate their tuition less favourably when it is provided online rather than face-to-face. The experiences of students taking business studies courses by distance education were compared when tutorial support was provided conventionally (using limited face-to-face sessions with some contact by telephone and email) or online (using both computer-mediated conferencing and email). The Course Experience Questionnaire and the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory were administered in a postal survey to students taking one of three business studies courses with the Open University. The students who received online tuition rated their workload as more appropriate. Otherwise, there were no significant differences between the students who received faceto- face tuition and those who received online tuition, either in their perceptions of the academic quality of their courses or in the approaches to studying that they adopted. Provided that tutors and students receive appropriate training and support, course designers in business studies can be confident about introducing online forms of tutorial support in campus-based or distance education.

Success and failure in distance education: perceptions of South African students and lecturers in Business Management

This article presents the results of a recent investigation at the University of South Africa that attempted to identify the post-enrolment factors that lecturers and students see as having important influences on students' success in undergraduate Business Studies courses. Data were gathered from students enrolled in all years of the BCom degree and from lecturers in one department servicing that degree. Various forms of analysis revealed a strong agreement between lecturers and students on factors that have the potential to lead to student success but a much weaker agreement about factors that might lead to student failure. These differences have implications for lecturers' instructional practices and for students' approaches to studying. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol.17(2) 2003: 147-158

Teaching Organisational Theory in Undergraduate Management Programmes: An exercise in facilitated theory testing for active experimentation

This paper argues that there is an opportunity to improve the way that social science theory is taught by introducing an exercise in facilitated theory testing through active experimentation. This paper describes a learning experience that enables students to discover the dynamic nature of theoretical discoveries. This idea is grounded in the notion that students will gain much from learning about and testing theory experientially using real world data. A data based exercise is outlined and illustrated to reveal a learning experience that provides an opportunity to improve the way social science is taught by linking theory to empirical data. We argue that this provides an opportunity to offer a more holistic learning experience for theory teaching. The paper will be of special interest to those teaching theory in management, commerce, business and organisational studies courses. It will also be of interest to a more general audience because it provides a framework that can be modified whenever forging a connection between theory and 'the real world' is a primary learning objective.

The UNCTC Curricula on TNCs

This article traces the history of the involvment of the UN Centre on Transnational Corporations (UNCTC) in the teaching of TNC ralated material to University students in developing countries. It also contains details of the economics and business studies course syllabi prepared by consultants for the UNCTC, and the reactions of University teachers in Economics and Business Studies from Asia and Africa to a number of intensive training seminars offered by the authors of this paper.

CAL and Banking: A Major Development

The Chartered Institute of Bankers has produced Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) courses for its Banking Certificate examinations. CAL has many benefits. The user is actively involved in the learning process. They can be used by individuals, colleges or banks in group teaching. Many topics are suitable for use on a wide range of business studies courses and can be tailored for individual needs.

ASSESSING PERFORMANCE WITH ‘SEEN’ COMPONENT

ABSTRACT The B. A. Business Studies (Hons) Course at the Middlesex Polytechnic introduced, for the first time in 1981, three hour examinations with a ‘seen’ component as the method of assessment. This paper examines the current practice on the course, staff and students’ attitudes to this new method of assessment and the student performance under the new method. On balance the new method is preferred to continuous assessment and the student performance improves with experience. The ‘seen’ component serves its purpose as an educational tool as it improves the level of understanding. The weaker students benefit by achieving a significantly higher mark in the ‘seen’ component than the unseen component.

Teaching the use of statistical packages in quantitative methods

This paper examines teaching the use of statistical packages in quantitative methods in business studies courses having a large number of students. It highlights the advantages of such a course and brings out the problems encountered along with suggestions to overcome them.

Case Studies in Personnel Management Training

This article arises from the use of case studies on several business studies courses at The Hatfield Polytechnic between 1974 and 1981. It gives an account of how case studies were used, gives examples of case material used (Appendices), and describes some of the problems encountered by the staff and students concerned.

Where to draw the line in business studies

The central focus of business studies courses is the business enterprise. By means of lectures, seminars, case studies, role play and the rest, students are instructed on the legal forms, internal structures, management functions, goals, strategies and descision‐making processes of the business organisation, and on those aspects of the external environment — eg, characteristics of the product and factor markets, and government economic policy — which are seen to relate directly to the business environment. David Fairhurst, a Senior Lecturer in Business Studies at Blackburn College of Technology, argues that such a focus is far too narrow for the modern business student. Using the BEC Higher National Diploma core module Resources for Business to illustrate his theme,the author raises some important questions in deciding where to draw the boundary around the study of business behaviour

Interdisciplinarity in higher education business studies courses

Interdisciplinarity in higher education business studies courses

English in Business Studies courses and examinations

English in Business Studies courses and examinations